Tilting headlight



Oct. 28. 1924.

E. B. WHITCOMB TILT'ING HEADLIGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1919 INVENTOR.

Get. 28 1924 B. WHITCOMB TILTING HEADLIGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 5 INVEN TOR. [amwm 5. W/r/fca/rw TTORNEY Oct. 28 1924.

E. B. 'WHITCOMB TILTING HEADLIGHT 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1919 INVENTOR. Edmund 5. W/w'faomb ATTORNEY w 1513,7225 rtur omen-2.,

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, 'a ncauan'a eanay 13,1919. Serial maeavaa. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND B. Wm'rcom, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of'Lucas and l State of Ohio, have invented certain new in headlights'andmore particularly to im-.

and useful Improvements in Tilting lights, of which I'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements provements in automobile headlights of the type which is constructed to throw the beam of light downwardl at such an angle as prevent objectionab e glaring. V

An object of the invention is to provide an improved headlight construction having a tilting part for throwing the beam'of light downwardly in, which the'tilting m ism is so arran ed that the tilting so part will be autcmaticaliy, positively thrown tothe limit of its movementin either di- 7 rection whenever the tilting mechanism is actuated. 7 Another object of the invention is to provide a tilting mechanism composed of a few simple parts notflliable to get out of order and to provide means for readily adjusting the amount and the limits of the tiltmg movement without dismantling the headlight.

Further of this invention relate to economies of manufacture and details of construction as will hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow. I accomplished the objects of my invention in one instance by the devices and means described in the following specification, but it is evident that the same may be varied widely without departing from the scope of the invention as-pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constitutin one embodiment of 'm invention, whic may be the preferred,1s illustrated in the accompanyin drawings forming a part hereof, in w ich:

Fig. I is a vertical sectional view through a headlight embodying my invention, the position being shown reflector in its tilted by dotted lines.

F' II is a sectional view taken on the line-fI-II of Fi Fig. III is a gmentary view of the lower part of the Fig. I on a larger scale.

Figs. IV, V and VI'are views similar respectively to Figs. I, II and but show a modified construction.

Figs. VII and vm are news sat. respectlvely to Figs. I- and II but show a 1 further modifiedconstruction.

Fig. is a detail 'on a larger scale of the adjusting mechanism and the universal joint in the o ratingrod of the modification illustra in Figs. VII and VIII.

Figs X and XI are respectively a side and rear view of a further modified construction.

In the drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar. parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in thedirection of the arrows at the ends of the section lines". x

Considering first the form of the invention shown in Fi' s. I, II and'III, 5 'represents an automobi e'headlight casing having a 'front lens'6, a lens retaining rin 7. re-

.movabl'y secured to the casing an a re- The re-' Hector 8 attached to the'casing.

fl ctor carriesthe ligliitbulb 9 which com prises the source of to the bulb enter the casing by the thimble 11.

The reflector 8 is sup' rted in the casing by means of three bowe springs 12 13 an 14 arranged in the manner shown b Fi I and II. Each'of these s asan eye 15 formed at each end h which vely flector which serves to prevent any side mo-' tion or twisting of the reflector. When the reflector is placed in position in the casing all three springs are compressed acertain amount. a I r In Fig. I the reflectoris shown by full lines in its erect or'normal position and by dotted lines in its tilted position. It will 'ght and the wires10 be noted from this figure thatwhen the re fiector is in an erect position, the upper pivot of spring 14 lies to the right of a line joining sprin 12 with the lowerivot of s ring 14 an tilted position the upper ivot ofspring 14 lies onlthe opposite si e'of that line.

The tendency of the spring 14- is therefore when the reflector 18in its to throw the reflector "to either its erect 'or to its tilted position depending upon which side of the, aforesaid line the upper pivot 5 its tilted position,

of spring 14 is at that time. This construction insures that the reflector when tilted from one position to the other, will always swing to the full limit and will be resiliently held in that position.

To limit the two movements of the reflector as well as to provide for varying the amount of movement, an adjustable stop device is provided. This device comprises an internally threaded sleeve 21, secured in a wall of the casing 5, a second sleeve 22 externally threaded into the sleeve 21 being somewhat longer than sleeve 21 and an operating rod 23 pivotally connected to the reflector by means of a lug 24 and carrying two adjustable stops 25 and 26. The two stops 25 and 26 are secured to the rod 23 by means of set screws 27 and suitable clearance is provided between the sleeve 22 and the rod to avoid unnecessary friction between these two parts as the reflector is tilted from one position to another. It will be noted that the sleeve 22 serves as a guide for the rod as the reflector is tilted from one position to another.

It will be seen by. referring to Fig. I that the reflector is resiliently held in the erect position by the lower spring 14 the ad ustable stop 26 engaging the sleeve 22. When the reflector is tilted to the dotted line position by pulling on the operating rod 23 the spring 14 is first compressed and then expands, throwing the reflector to the limit of which position is determined by the engagement of stop 25 with the sleeve 22. The reflector is now resiliently held in the tilted position in the same manner as it was previously held in its upright position. Both these two positions as well as the amount of movement may be varied by adjusting the position of the stops 25 and 26 on the operating rod 23 and by adjusting the position of the sleeve 22 in the sleeve 21. It is however, unnecessary to change the position of both stops to obtain any desired adjustment of the reflector, it being sufficient merely to vary the position of the stop 26 and sleeve 22. In the erect position shown in full lines in Fig. I the rays of light from the reflector are thrown forward in a substantially horizontal beam. When the reflector is thrown to its tilted position to avoid glaring as when operating the automobile on city streets or when meeting another automobile the beam of light is thrown downward at such an angle that the road is illumined immediately in front of the automobile but the objectionable glaring is avoided. The point at which the glaring is eliminated can be very accurately determined, and by means of the devices herein disclosed, the erect position and the tilted position of the reflector can be accurately and easily adjusted.

In the modification shown in Figs. IV.

V and VI the reflector is pivoted at 30 to a bracket 31 suitably secured as by screws 31, to the headlight casing 55. The lower portion of the reflector is connected with the casing by coil springs 32 which engage suitable lugs 33 and 34c respectively on the easing and on the reflector. As will be seen from Fig. VI these lugs each have a central stud projectin into the spring to prevent displacement t iereof. These springs 82 are at all times under compression and function in a manner similar to that of .the bowed spring 14 of the previously described form to resiliently hold the" reflector in either its erect position or its tilted position. An adjustable stop mechanism 20 similar to that shown inthe previous modification is provided to limit the movement of the reflector.

In the modification illustrated by Figs. VII, VIII and IX the reflector is mounted by a pair of oppositely disposed trunnions attached'to the reflector by a reinforcement 41 and engaging sockets in a pair of brackets 4c2secured to the casing by screws 43 or other suitable means. The reflector in this case is attached to the casing at its lower parts by means of a bowed spring 14:, as in Figs. I, II and III.

The adjusting stop mechanism 45 of this modification includes an internally threaded sleeve 46 rigidly secured in a wall of the casing and an externally threaded sleeve 47 within and engaging the sleeve 46. An operating rod a8 slides in the sleeve 47 and has a lug 49 which engages in longitudinal slot 50 formed in the sleeve 47 the length of which determines the amount of tilting movement of the reflector. The position of the sleeve 47 in the sleeve 46 determines the position of the reflector when upright and when tilted. An attaching lug 52 on the reflector is pivotally engaged by a short rod 53 which rod is connected by a ball and socket joint 55 with the rod 48. The purpose of this joint is to permit the rod 48 to be rotated in order to vary the position of the sleeve 47 within the sleeve 46 to adjust the reflector.

In the modification illustrated by Figs. X and XI the casing is pivotally-mounted to tilt on pins secured to the casing by reinforcements 61 and these pins 60 engage in sockets in the extremities of the supporting fork 62, the entire headlight in this case being adapted to be tilted upon its mountmg.

The casing is held in adjusted position by means of a bowed spring 63 one end of which is attached to the casing by lug 64:

while the other end is attached to the fork by a lug 65 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. I. The spring 63 in this modification operates to throw the headlight to either its upright position or to a tilted its neispae ition just as it throws the reflector in ig. I. An operating rod 66 is attached to the casing by means of lugs 67 and suitable means may be provided similar to that shown for example in Figs. I and IV to cooperate with this rod to limit the move ment of the headlight.

While I have described my inventlon in more or less detail and as being embodied in certain precise forms I do not desire or intend to be limited thereto as on the contrary my invention contemplated brpadly all proper changes, as well as the omiss on of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents therefore as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a headlight, a casing, a reflector mounted to tilt therein, a rod attached to said reflector, an adjustable stoo carried thereby and a member moun In said cas ng to guide said rod and to cooperate with said stop to limit the movement of said reflector.

2. In a headlight, a casing, a reflector mounted to tilt therein, a rod attached to said reflector, a stop secured to said rod and a member adjustably mounted in said casing to coperate with said rod and to enga e said stop to limit the movement of said re ector.

3. In a headlight having a casing and a reflector mounted to tilt therein, a rod attached to said reflector, a pair of stops adjustably secured to said rod, and an lntermediate sleeve on said rod mounted in said casing for longitudinal adjustment, whereby the amount of movement and the limits of movement of said reflector may be adjusted.

4. A headlight comprising in combination a casing, a reflector mounted therein to tilt, a spring between said casing and sald reflector for normally holding the reflector in an extreme position, an operating rod for said reflector having a pair of stops and a relatively fixed stop adapted to engage each of said pair of stops to determine the extreme position to which the reflector may t1l t.

5. A headlight comprising in combination a casing, a reflector mounted therein to tilt, a spring between said casing and said reflector for normally holdin the reflector in either a substantially vertical position or in a tilted position, an operating rod for moving the reflector from one of said positions to the other, a pair of adjustable stops on, said rod and a sleeve on said rod adjustably mounted in said casing to guide said rod and to cooperate with said stops whereby the reflector will normally stand at either its upright position or its tilted position and these positions may be independently varied.

6. In a headlight the combination of a casing, a reflector in said casing, and a plurality of bowed springs connecting said reflector to the said casing one of said springs being constructed to permit a limited movement of the reflector relative to the casing and to resiliently hold the reflector in one or the other of the limiting positions of its movement.

7. In a headlight the combination of a casing, a reflector mounted therein to tilt, means normally holding said reflector in either its tilted or its non-tilted position, an interiorly threaded sleeve mounted in a wall of said casing, an exteriorly threaded sleeve within said first mentioned sleeve, an oper ating rod attached to said reflector and passing through said inner sleeve and a pair of ad ustable stops carried by said rod adapted to engage the ends of said inner sleeve to limit the movement of the reflector.

8. Ina headlight, the combination of a casing, a reflector pivotally mounted therein, means to limit the pivotal movements of said reflector, a spring to move said reflector to eitherof two limiting positions and means for connecting the ends of said spring directly with said casing and said reflector.

9. In a headlight, the combination of a casing, a reflector mounted to have a limited swinging movement therein, lugs positioned substantially opposite each other on said casing and said reflector and a bow spring between said casing and said reflector having its ends attached to said lugs whereby said spring is stressed when the reflector is moved from a limiting position.

10. In a headlight, the combination of a casing, a reflector mounted therein to swing to either one of two limiting positions, means formed with said casing adapted to limit movement of the reflector, holding means connecting said casing and said reflector for resiliently holding the latter in one or the other of its limiting positions and additional means separate and independent from said holding means for swinging said reflector.

11. In combination, a supporting member, a member pivotally supported thereby and having a lamp mounted therein, a spring compressed between and having its respective ends connected with said two members to exert pressure substantially in line with the pivotal point of said supported member, means on said supporting member for limiting the movement of the pivoted 'member whereby the latter isresiliently held in one or the other or two limiting sitions.

Intestimony whereof, Ia mysignature.

EDMUND B. WHITCOMB. 

